12:50 Hexham

Wednesday 8 December 2021

All12:2012:5013:2013:5014:2014:5015:20

Support The Injured Jockeys Fund Handicap Chase

Off time: 12:50 | Winning time: 6m 50.48s

Deep Charm^t³²

Age: 7| Weight: 11-12| J: D R Fox| T: W Coltherd| OR: 100

6/1

No real impact in 4 starts over hurdles last term, but immediately improved for the switch to fences when runner-up on return at Kelso (23.4f). One to consider off the same mark.

Form: 36P-P42

Real Armani^t²¹

Age: 9| Weight: 11-10| J: B S Hughes| T: Mrs J Walton| OR: 98| CD

13/2

Upped his game on back of a wind op when landing back-to-back C&D handicaps in March. Largely creditable efforts in defeat since, but current mark leaves little margin for error.

Form: 2-42235

Very Patient²¹

Age: 7| Weight: 11-7| J: Ryan Mania| T: J Parkinson & S Smith| OR: 95

9/2

Little in the way of solid form under Rules and finished nearer last than first on chase debut here 3 weeks ago.

Form: 6P43-77

Square Viviani^p¹⁹⁷

Age: 10| Weight: 11-5| J: Emma Smith-Chaston⁽⁷⁾| T: Micky Hammond| OR: 93| CD

16/1

Hit the target twice in 2019/20, but hasn't shown much spark in 3 starts since returning from a 13-month absence in February.

Form: 1P1/5-P3

Cudgel²³³

Age: 8| Weight: 11-3| J: C O'Farrell| T: J Walton| OR: 91| C

10/3

All 3 wins over hurdles gained here and ended last season with a sequence of solid placed efforts over this C&D. Goes well fresh and a bold show is very much on the cards.

Form: 4U2323-

Flaming Glory^p⁴⁶

Age: 7| Weight: 10-5| J: Sean Quinlan| T: K Scott| OR: 79

7/2

Remains a maiden following 17 attempts under Rules, but he performed with credit following a wind op on return at Kelso in October and is not without each-way hope.

Form: 827P-53

Hidden Cargo¹⁴⁴

Age: 9| Weight: 10-2| J: Thomas Dowson| T: J C Haynes| OR: 76| D

12/1

Definite chance off this lowly mark judged on bits and pieces of form, but it's hard to ignore the fact that he's 0-25 under Rules and was out of sorts when last seen during the summer.

Form: 7-P357P

Space Safari^t1⁴⁶

Age: 8| Weight: 10-0| J: Edward Austin⁽⁷⁾| T: A M Thomson| OR: 74

8/1

Off mark in points at second attempt, but that was back in 2017 and he has offered little in 4 starts under Rules to date.

Form: P196/7-0

Non-Runners

Supreme Steel²⁷

Weight: 10-5| Age: 10

T: M E Sowersby J: Non Runner

Forecasts

Cudgel (10/3), Flaming Glory (7/2), Very Patient (9/2), Deep Charm (6/1), Real Armani (13/2), Supreme Steel (8/1), Space Safari (8/1), Hidden Cargo (12/1), Square Viviani (16/1)

CUDGEL finished adrift of Real Armani in C&D handicaps on each of his last 3 starts of last term, but he has a good chance of gaining the upper hand on these terms and his record when fresh is another factor which helps to tilt the scales in his favour. Real Armani looks a shade too high in the weights for now and bigger threats may be posed by Deep Charm and Flaming Glory.